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It's taken a while for double concentrate to catch on--but the subcategory is now packing one hell of a punch. In the past year, it has grown XX% in value and XX% in volume to make up XX% of the total cordial market.

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It's an impressive performance, especially compared with standard squash, which plunged XX% in value and XX% in volume as shoppers switched both to double concentrate and out of the category altogether.

Yet it remains very much an own-label success story. Supermarket own-label lines account for XX% of value and XX% of the subcategory's volume sales and while one or two brands have dipped their toes in the water, most claim they have no plans to enter the market. So what are the brands doing to try and stop own label diluting their sales?

They're looking in relatively good nick overall (see right), but there are already signs that double concentrate may be eating into sales of the two biggest brands, Robinsons and Ribena. It's particularly ironic for Robinsons as, aside from budget brand Sun-Sip, it has been the only brand to make the move into double-strength, in January 2011.

It was a big step for the brand and indeed for double concentrate, which was arguably validated by investment from the category leader. Although its overall sales are down, suggesting a certain amount of cannibali-sation, Robinsons' bestselling double concentrate (X.XX-litre Apple & Blackcurrant) has garnered sales of [pounds sterling]XX.Xm in the past year, says Ian Forshew, grocery trading director at brand owner Britvic. He has high hopes for the whole seven-strong range of double-strength squashes and believes they meet a clear demand. "We're offering savings to the consumer as well as environmental benefits."

They have some way to go, however, to match the performance of Robinsons' standard squash - and they also face competition from cheaper own-label offerings. Forshew concedes that "it's competitive out there", but says Robinsons is "upping the promotional ante" in a bid to compete. "We're investing strongly. TV advertising is running until the end of August--we want to connect with mums and add value."

It isn't the only brand scrambling to give consumers a reason to buy. It's hard to say which was braver--Robinsons squaring up to own label or the decision by other brands not to compete in double concentrate at all. Those brands need, more than ever, to differentiate themselves. "Sales of own label have grown faster than brands since the introduction of double-strength," says Joanna Watling, marketing director for Jucee owner Princes. "We expect some fight-back in the next year."

Many are already doing so with NPD and heavy promotional activity. According to Assosia, the big five ran just XX featured space promotions between them on own-label squashes in the year to March 2012 - down XX% on the previous year--while Robinsons and Ribena together ran a whopping XXX, a X% increase year-on-year.

"We had a lot of activity which brought new consumers to the brand," says Ribena senior brand manager Hannah Norbury. "Our focus this year is to hold on to those consumers."

The brand is also banking on innovation to drive growth. In February, it launched two new variants to help it stand out from the crowd: Ribena Plus Vitamin A & C to support immunity and Ribena Plus Calcium for healthy bones. The idea is to "give people more of a reason to try Ribena", says Norbury. "Adding value with health is really important in bringing new people to the brand."

Ribena is hoping targeted marketing, combined with its new launches, will give it the edge. Like Robinsons, it is going after mums, because, Norbury says, "we have mums buying Ribena for their kids. And young women--mums of the future--buying it for themselves."

There are no plans for a Ribena double concentrate, claims Norbury--a sentiment echoed by Vimto, which has enjoyed impressive XX.X% growth [SymphonyIRIJ despite sticking to traditional strength. "Our sales of single concentrate are strong," claims Neil Gibson, Vimto Soft Drinks head of marketing. "Nielsen data has us growing at four times the market."

He attributes the success to a push behind the overall Vimto brand, a shift in strategy that has clearly benefited its squashes as well as its carbonated and still drinks. "Four years ago, we decided to put more money into our Seriously Mixed Up Fruit campaign and now our household penetration is up XX%."

As standard squash brands vie to offer mothers something special, the small-but-growing 'posh squash' market will be looking to capitalise on its inherent point of difference. Upmarket cordials account for just X% of squash sales, but have grown X.X% in value and XX.X% in volume over the past year.

Unlike double concentrate, 'posh squash' is very much a branded domain--brands account for over XX% of the market by value. Bottlegreen is the largest, with sales of [pounds sterling]XX.Xm in the past year [SymphonylRl]. MD Simon Speers says Bottlegreen's success rests on persuading consumers to give the brand a go. "People try it, it delivers, so they come back for more," he claims.

Flavour innovation is also key to the brand, which Speers says caters for those who "have been brought up on Robinsons or Ribena and want to progress to something bigger and better." Bottlegreen has moved some way beyond elderflower, rolling out frequent special editions in an attempt to attract new consumers. "We do 'try me and see' launches to find the next big flavour," says Speers. "Red cherry & vanilla worked well; apple & thyme, not so well."

Rival 'posh squash' Belvoir Fruit Farms, like Bottlegreen, relies on driving trial. "Sampling in supermarkets is very expensive so we do agricultural and county shows instead," says MD Pev Manners. In retailers, the brand has been making use of promotions and a redesigned bottle, rolled out last summer, to push value sales up XX% year-on-year [SymphonyIRI]. "We had deeper promotions in Sainsbury's and long-term multibuys in Asda," says Manners.

Belvoir's point of difference lies in its natural ingredients and its taste, he says. "It's an affordable treat that appeals to people who care about what they put in their bodies." But he acknowledges that although "it may seem over-processed to health-conscious consumers", double concentrate "offers a strong value and convenience proposition".

He's not alone in recognising the benefits of double concentrate. For Princes' Watling, its rise has had positive repercussions for the category, because it has given shoppers a reason to stop and consider which squash to buy, rather than simply picking the usual. "The innovation was important as it offered consumers a choice," she says.

Indeed, it's difficult to see the downsides of double concentrate. It takes up less space on shelf (for retailers and consumers), is more eco-friendly and, most importantly of all, it offers better value for money than standard squash. And although critics contend that children pour too much into their glass because they are used to single-stength squashes, new pour control features are being introduced to prevent this. Robinsons double concentrate, for instance, has "a plastic insert in the neck of the bottle which restricts the flow", says Forshew.

Its strong growth over the past year bodes well for own label in the year ahead--and a Britvic spokeswoman predicts that "the squash category will remain competitive, with private label on the up and leading brands upping added-value promotional offers to compete".

The brands will need all the promotional clout and NPD they can muster just to maintain their current growth next year, let alone improve upon it. The challenge will be all the greater because they are, in the main, swerving double concentrate to focus on pack formats and flavours rather than brand new innovations.

As Britvic asserts: "Double concentrate is definitely here to stay." The question is, if it continues to grow at its current rate, will it overtake standard squash--and if it does, where will that leave the brands?

* The squashes and cordials market has shown I continued growth, but levels have slowed since 2010, with sales increasing behind total soft drinks.

* Volume sales have fallen X.X% - with the success of double concentrate leading to fewer litres on average being sold. Brands still dominate the market, but have lost share to own label, which has recorded X.X% value and X.X% volume growth.

* Double concentrate has seen the strongest growth, but 'posh' squash has also recorded value growth ahead of the total market.

* An increase in shopper base has been the key driver of growth for both these sectors, as consumers begin to understand their benefits over standard squash and switch their purchasing habits.